Scream Bloody Entertainment

Foreword
The 13 Horror Films feature has become a well-known and beloved tradition here on Scream Bloody Entertainment, and through the years it has evolved into an event that is thoroughly anticipated and enjoyed by both its writer and readers. I therefore urge you all to rejoice, for with the conclusion of 2010 yet another year of delicious cinematic horror madness has come to an end, and the list of the thirteen best horror films of the year has just landed, as punctual and well-timed as always.

Just kidding. Right now it’s the 31st of December 2011, so that means that this list is – more or less – one year late. One year. It sure as hell tops last year’s release, which I posted nearly half a year late. Well, you know what they say, better late than never, right? That said, I hope this list proves to be an enjoyable read and maybe it will manage to bring to your attention one or two movies that you may have missed last year. See you all next year!

Hopefully.

Honorable mentions and other noteworthy releases:

• Splice
  Directed by the promising Vincenzo Natali, who more than ten years ago delivered the highly original and acclaimed sci-fi slash horror slash thriller slash whatever-else-people-want-to-classify-it-as Cube, Splice is a film that sure has a good amount of flaws, but its unsettling moments and thought-provoking thematic prevent it from being a mere dismissable effort. A shame it tanked at the box office, but that shouldn't be a reason to overlook it. ('addiced to horror' article here)
• I Spit on Your Grave
  The gimmicky R-rated remake of the controversial 70s horror film doesn't improve much on its original, but I Spit on Your Grave proves that it doesn't shy away from violence and gore, delivering a rape scene as disturbing as few others in recent times followed by a series suprisingly brutal deaths. Those with a weak stomach should tread lightly, or rather not tread at all. ('addicted to horror' article here)
• The Last Exorcism
  The Last Exorcism doesn't break any new ground when it comes to the found footage genre, and many complaints have been heard regarding its ending, but the fact remains that this film can be surprisingly disturbing and ultimately quite frightening, landing it a spot among those horror movies that aren't exactly great, but which still manage to make your skin crawl. ('addicted to horror' article here)
• Paranormal Activity 2
  The sequel to what many regard as 'one of the scariest horror films ever' doesn't quite live up to its predecessor's reputation, but it nevertheless delivers a few good scares and thrills along the way, and the departure from the original in following an entire family instead of a couple is fresh and appreciated. Those who wet their pants watching the first one will likely need a change of clothes this time around as well. ('addicted to horror' article)
• Altitude
  Not exactly a good film on any account, Altitude only stands out from the rest of the throwaway low-budget efforts due to its impressive visual style and the Lovecraftian tone that keeps popping up along the way. Of course, exploiting the fear of flying as much as possible helps as well, and almost makes one forget about the wreck of a twist at the end. ('addicted to horror' article here)

Los ojos de Julia is a chilling and thoroughly intriguing Spanish horror movie, though its plot leaves a lot to be desired. While the acting is really good (particularly that of leading actress Belén Rueda) and the movie boasts some really impressive cinematography and captivating score, it fails when it comes to its storyline, which isn't very well fleshed out, often feeling as if it doesn't really know what direction it wants to take. Overall, Los ojos de Julia is an atmospheric horror thriller and it's a lot better than what we usually get to see these days, but if you decide to give it a watch, be prepared for a lackluster story. (addicted to horror)

Amer may be one of the strangest horror films in recent years, making for a dreamlike experience devoid of dialogue and filled with hauntingly beautiful visuals. Its style, reminiscent of 70s giallo films, fits the mood and tone of the storyline perfectly, and the mesmerizing mix of sounds that adorn each scene are yet another plus. However, Amer falls a little short in the narrative department, failing to create a coherent whole, thus providing little closure in the end. In addition, the film drags quite a bit during its second half, almost as if the filmmakers ran out of ideas. Nevertheless, Amer remains a thoroughly intriguing ride for those able to appreciate (and put themselves through) more artistic and experimental pictures. There's not much to be had here for everyone else, though. (addicted to horror)

Daybreakers offers a refreshing break from the vampire movie craze that has been going on for the past couple of years and it brings the evil, scary vampires back to the screen. It's also a lot of fun and the cast is decent, apart from a few misplaced roles (see Willem Dafoe). There's a lot of jump scares which make the movie feel cheap at times, but they are easily overlooked due to the fine design and creative ideas put into the film. It may not be the next vampire classic, but it's nonetheless a great vampire flick in period filled with countless bad ones. (addicted to horror)

Suck is one of those films that you would never expect to deliver much more than your usual horror fare, but somehow, it manages to creep behind you and surprise you when you least expect it. Featuring various cameo appearances from real life rock stars such as Alice Cooper, Moby and Iggy Pop, this one seemingly ordinary vampire flick is a lot more than meets the eye. On a visual level, Suck looks great and the production value, apart from a couple of cheap gory moments (which could have been totally intentional, mind you), is outstanding. The story is so-so, but there lots of memorable moments and simply hilarious scenes that turn Suck into a worthwhile experience. Plus, you gotta hand it to Rob Stefaniuk for directing, writing, acting and even co-writing some of the songs for the movie. (addicted to horror)

The Crazies is one of those rare horror remakes that actually work and some may argue it even surpasses the original. Timothy Olyphant and Radha Mitchell do a good job as the two lead actors and the rest of the cast is good enough to keep this movie together. The story is rather interesting and the fast pacing makes up for an intense atmosphere and suspenseful scenes. The Crazies may not offer anything new, but it's as entertaining and fun as it can get. Definitely worth a watch. (addicted to horror)

Piranha is the perfect example of how a movie can be so right when everything in it is so wrong. If you would have asked anyone how this film would fare before it got released, chances are no one would have given you a positive answer, yet here we are with one of the most entertaining and hilarious films of the year. Piranha is another great success for director Alexandre Aja, but it is an even bigger success for modern horror movies and 3D films as well. If you're looking for fun, lots of laughs and insane amounts of gore and nudity, look no further than Piranha. This film had all the right ingredients for it to turn into a disaster, yet it went in the whole other direction and managed to exceed all expectations. (addicted to horror)

A Serbian Film is definitely one of the most extreme horror films in recent years, but unlike many other of its type, it has excellent production quality and a coherent plot going for it. The film may seem awfully gratuitous at times and it often feels like it's doing certain things just to see how far it can go, but that doesn't diminish its shock value. Most certainly not for the faint of heart, A Serbian Film is a disturbing tale of violence, pornography, death and pretty much every disgusting thing you can think of. It's gruesome, it's horrific, it's shocking. (addicted to horror)

After his last couple of films, it seems as though anything with M. Night Shyamalan's name written on it is bound to fail, but Devil proves to be a surprisingly good horror thriller with an interesting premise and a really solid twist. It does have a couple of weaker points and there sure are some plotholes here and there, but the film is very effective and makes for a highly intense ride. Ultimately, Devil overcomes the whole M. Night Shyamalan hate and turns out to be a very well done horror film. (addicted to horror)

There is no doubt that The Loved Ones is one of the best horror films to come out of Australia in quite a while. It's an entertaining film with an interesting plot and some really good acting from its cast, but it's also directed and shot in very good quality, which makes it all the more enjoyable. The only unfortunate thing is that the film didn't become too popular, but fans of the genre will definitely treasure this indie gem. (addicted to horror)

Dream Home is part fine drama backed by social commentary, part relentless splatterfest like you wouldn't expect. How this film manages to blend these two seemingly unrelated genres together is quite puzzling, but it undoubtedly succeeds, delivering not only a well-written final product, but also one that is thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable. Unlike many slasher flicks, Dream Home actually has a memorable and well-developed antagonist, and the kills are also really inventive and wonderfully diverse. To cut it short (no pun intended), Dream Home is one of the most fun gorefests since the French bloodbath known as Inside a few years back. (addicted to horror)

Tucker & Dale vs Evil is no doubt one of the most pleasant surprises of the year, delivering the most hilarious horror trip since the celebrated Shaun of the Dead a few years back. Thoroughly engaging and backed by a well-written plot, this little indie film puts a new twist on the slasher genre, twisting things around and making for plenty of laugh out loud moments while at it. Lead actors Tyler Labine and Alan Tudyk are outstanding in their roles, and the characters of Tucker and Dale will surely become cult favourites in the future. If you're looking for a killer comedy, look no further than Tucker & Dale vs Evil. (addicted to horror)

Let Me In may be the most unnecessary American remake in recent years, with the Swedish original Let the Right One In having been released merely two years ago, but it is also one of the most well-done. While it plays out much like its predecessor, director Matt Reeves manages to make some significant tweaks to the story, summoning a darker tone and providing more focus on the relationship between the main characters. The acting is also solid, and even though Chloe Moretz delivers a very decent performance, it holds no water to that of Lina Leandersson in the origina. Ultimately, Let Me In remains an unnecessary remake, but the beautiful cinematography, haunting score and well-constructed storyline make it a fine alternative to one of the greatest horror films of the last ten years in cinema. (addicted to horror)

Perhaps one of the most profound South Korean horror films in the last couple of years, Bedevilled is a raw and brutally honest picture, backed by a dark social commentary and and a heartbreaking tale of revenge and tragedy. Featuring powerful performances from the entire cast, beautiful cinematography and soothing scenery, Bedevilled is an outstanding mix of drama and full-fledged slasher horror, with a slow-moving but thoroughly enjoyable first half and a savage and bloodstained second. A brilliant piece of South Korean filmmaking, Bedevilled is not to be missed. (addicted to horror)

So remember that time when I said I would catch up with the Weekly Updates? Yeah... that didn’t really work out so well, huh? I’m not making any promises this time around, but I’ll try to get this feature back on its feet as soon as possible. That said, let’s get down to business.

Tuesday

Red Planet (2000) - 5/10
I remember seeing Red Planet quite a few years ago, at a point in time when I had a small thing for science fiction films going, specifically those that took place in outer space. I could only vaguely recall bits and moments from Red Planet, though, so when I stumbled upon it recently I decided to give it another go to refresh my memory. While I do remember being fairly fascinated with the movie back in the day, seeing it for the second time around made me realise that it’s not a very good film. It still managed to evoke a somewhat commendable sci-fi atmosphere, and I believe it nailed the feeling of being alone in space rather well, but as far as storyline and plot progression go, Red Planet falls in the run-of-the-mill category of this type of genre films. I didn’t have any problems with the cast of the film, though no noteworthy performances were to be had here; Carrie-Anne Moss stood out in a couple of scenes, but that’s about it. Red Planet is ultimately a forgettable (and therefore skippable) experience which brings nothing new to the table, but for those who indulge in outer space films of this type, I’d say it’s still worth a look. Also, I recommend checking out Sunshine, the Danny Boyle directed sci-fi thriller, which shares a similar tone to Red Planet.

Thursday

Super 8 (2011) - 7/10
From the mysterious first news of its production to the secretive marketing surrounding it, it’s safe to say that Super 8 was one of my most anticipated films of the year, and I found myself eagerly awaiting its arrival to a theatre near me so that I may satisfy my curiosity. When I finally got the chance to check it out, I was already aware of what most critics were saying about it – it was good, and it was, more than anything, a tribute to Spielberg’s classic adventure kid films. After seeing it, I mostly agreed with the consensus, and I found it to be an uplifting and greatly satisfying experience; and yet I couldn’t help but meditate over all its flaws, because even though J.J. Abrams really nailed the 80s feel and the Spielbergian tone, there was something about the movie which made me refuse to rank it among the films it so dearly paid tribute to. Don’t get me wrong, Super 8 is a great film, and I highly recommend it to absolutely anyone in the mood for some good times at the movies – it’s brilliantly filmed, very well directed, and for the most part, very well acted as well (kudos to the kid actors, they were really impressive) – but Abrams also injected a bit too much of what plagues modern day cinema of this type: too much CGI for the monster, not enough emotional impact so as to provide a driving force so desperately needed in the final act, and all in all, unlike in E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (to make an apt comparison), not enough sympathy – if any – is felt for the alien outsider in the film to make us cheer when things work out in the end. But I’m beginning to ramble, so if you’re looking for a more detailed perspective on Super 8, I suggest you check out my review of it from a couple of months back.

Foreword

If you’ve visited Scream Bloody Entertainment in the last couple of months you may have noticed a more than significant decline in content. The reason I’ve been unable to keep as active a presence on my blog as I once did is related to my moving to university and all the time-consuming tasks that came with it. Aside from academic related occupations I was also forced to deal with various other duties mostly associated with moving and settling into a new place of residence. Because of this, and thanks to a few other inconvenient circumstances, my presence on the blog has been reduced to the point where I was publishing a mere one post per month (see November, or rather don’t).

In spite of appearances, though, I would like to point out that I have no intention of shutting down Scream Bloody Entertainment. Writing has and always will be a great pleasure of mine, and it also helps me learn and develop everything from language to the critical eye – skills which I now need more than ever during my years of higher education.

But enough of excuses and promises; suffice to say, I plan on restoring this blog to its former glory. And what better way to start off than with a guest post, eh? I know, I know, letting someone else do the work for me may not be the most promising way to kick things off, but it’s a start nonetheless.

Isabella Woods, the author of the article you’re about to read, has contacted me with an offer to write for Scream Bloody Entertainment back in November, and I – as always – have more than taken my time to respond to her. To cut a long story short, it’s about time this article finally makes it to the blog, and for that reason I won’t take up any more time with my ramblings.

The Rise of the Dead: the Increased Popularity of Horror in Games

A lot of people believe before Resident Evil arrived on the Playstation in 1996 all computer and video games were cutesy platformers involving blue hedgehogs and Italian plumbers. The horror genre, however, has long been a mainstay of the video game industry. While the Playstation’s graphics engine made the cut scenes from Resident Evil particularly awe-inspiring, and the combination of suspense and puzzle solving was groundbreaking at the time, horror gaming goes back a lot further than the events at Racoon City.

Back in the Day

The 1980s was a golden year for horror. With a VHS in every home, it was a decade of the video nasty. Previous X-rated cinema release such as Dawn of the Dead, Evil Dead and The Haunting, were now available to watch in the comfort of a lounge chair at home, where viewers could relive the gory moments time and time again by rewinding and pausing. Sadly, video games were a pale imitation to the realistic graphics and fast-paced game play of the modern Xbox or Playstation 3. The only console available was the Atari 2600 (so called because that was its memory - in bytes). But while Pac Man and Space Invaders will always be remembered as some of the first commercially successful video games, Atari also ventured into the world of horror, with their 1982 Haunted House. Of course, the block graphics that depicted a pair of floating eyeballs and rather unconvincing ghosts hardly had the scare factor, but with the horror-inspired game cover and basic idea of using horror as a basis for a video game, Haunted House set the ball rolling for future efforts.

Europe had the edge on the video game market in the early 1980’s, and the ZX Spectrum, the first choice for most European game’s enthusiasts, had its fair share of horror titles. Zombie Zombie, released in 1984 took all the basic elements from George Romero’s classic trilogy and allowed gamers to feel the suspense of a city populated by the undead. However, it wasn’t until the PC became a favored gaming platform did the horror genre really flourish.

Rise of the Undead

Mindscape’s, 1986 DOS release, Uninvited, provided the basic elements of survival horror that sparked such games as Resident Evil and Silent Hill. A point and click game, Uninvited involved a player regaining consciousness after a car crash who was forced to enter a mysterious mansion to find his missing brother, only to be faced with a plethora of puzzles and zombie enemies (sound familiar?). While virtually unheard of today, Uninvited is probably the most influential horror game ever, because without it, it is doubtful Resident Evil, Silent Hill or Alone in the Dark would have arrived when they did.

Another major milestone in horror games was Doom. Doom not only took the first person shooter and made it a mainstay of modern gaming (although Castle Wolfenstein got there a lot earlier) it had two things that changed horror genre forever - gore and suspense. Any gamer who loaded the DOS version of Doom onto their PC were not only struck by the sheer joy of chainsawing a demon in half, but the trepidation and suspense the game created too. Doom was the first game that truly introduced fear into the game playing experience. No game before it had ever pulled off the feat of making your heart thump and sweat drip from your forehead as an army of demonic beasts surprised you and chased you back out of a room.

Horror is Alive

Of course, horror games have gone from strength-to-strength ever since. The Resident Evil franchise, Silent Hill and Alone in the Dark all went that one-step further, presenting more horror, more suspense and more gore than previous games. Recently, the Left for Dead series added a competitive multiplayer option, combining the best of horror, suspense and action. L4D also took horror graphics to a completely new level, with unrivalled cinematic quality.

The future of horror gaming is certainly not stuck in conventions. Unlike other genres of game, such as the first person shooter, where new titles introduce little other than improved graphics, modern horror games are continually introducing new elements to ramp up the suspense and game play. Microsoft Game Studios’ use of black and white tones, atmospheric lighting and limited sound in Limbo, made the experience of playing the game more akin to watching a film. While, Friction Games’ Amnesia - The Dark Descent, introduced the novel ideal of keeping a character sane by avoiding unsettling events; this created a new level of suspense to the game play. Horror is one of the most innovative and compelling genres of video game at the moment and continues to surprise, innovate and unsettle - long live the undead.

Isabella Woods is a professional freelance writer and researcher, also known by her pseudonym Olivia Lennox. In relation to her apparent doppelganger in Scotland, she claims to be the real Isabella Woods, but that is up for debate.

Sometimes dead does not mean gone.

A faux supernatural specialist reluctantly takes on a job at a private boarding school where the ghost of a child has apparently been sighted.

- intriguing premise
- beautiful filming locations
- Rebecca Hall's laudable leading performance
- some intense moments

- plot holes galore
- becomes progressively confusing
- some scenes are completely out of place and unnecessary
- relies too much on cheap jump scares
- leaves a lot of plot points unconcluded
- weak and contrived twist
- unsatisfying finale

- low violence and gore
- moderate scares and frightening scenes
- moderate nudity and sexual themes
- low profanity

- people actually like believing in ghosts
- you can't hunt what doesn't exist
- people pretending to be ghosts leave footprings
- apples rolling down a set of stairs are creepy

Despite exhibiting good intentions by going back to the roots of horror with its Victorian setting and atmosphere driven tension, The Awakening lacks the staying power due a storyline that becomes more and more incoherent as it moves along and which ultimately leaves plot holes big enough to drive a truck through. It does attempt to build suspense using different methods (with varying degrees of success), but in the end, too much reliance is put on cheap jump scares that have already been done to death in recent genre exercises. Rebecca Hall shines in the leading role and the rest of the cast is solid as well, but acting alone is not enough to save The Awakening from the muddled and confusing mess that it is.

horror meter: 2 pretend stars (out of 5)